Diversity Of Fungal Communities Research Articles

Soil Fungal Community Diversity, Co-Occurrence Networks, and Assembly Processes under Diverse Forest Ecosystems.

Fungal communities are critical players in the biogeochemical soil processes of forest ecosystems. However, the factors driving their diversity and community assembly are still unclear. In the present study, five typical vegetation types of soil fungal communities in Liziping Nature Reserve, China, were investigated using fungal ITS sequences. The results show that the topsoil fungal community is mainly dominated by the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota. Although there was no significant difference in α diversity (Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou evenness indices) among different forest types, there was a significant difference in β diversity (community composition). This study found that soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and the total nitrogen/total phosphorus (N/P) ratio are the main environmental factors that affect soil fungal communities. Each forest type has a specific co-occurrence network, indicating that these community structures have significant specificities and complexities. Deciduous evergreen broad-leaved forests as well as deciduous broad-leaved and evergreen broad-leaved mixed forests showed high modularity and average path lengths, indicating their highly modular nature without distinct small-scale characteristics. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the structures of topsoil fungal communities are mainly shaped by stochastic processes, with the diffusion limitation mechanism playing a particularly significant role.

Conservation Agricultural Practices Increase Soil Fungal Diversity and Network Complexity in a 13-Year-Duration Conservation Agriculture System in the Loess Plateau of China

Agricultural practices can affect the diversity and community structure of soil fungi. This study investigates the impact of long-term agricultural practices on soil fungal diversity in the Loess Plateau of northwestern China. Different tillage practices have been implemented for 13 years, and their impact on soil fungi is assessed using high-throughput Illumina Sequencing. This study found a total of 2071 fungal Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs), and these were assigned to 25 different phyla, 372 families, and 496 genera. The fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota (52.1%), followed by Zygomycota (14.3%) and Basidiomycota (9.0%). In general, the soil exhibited higher fungal community abundance, richness, and diversity in winter than in summer. Notably, no-tillage or stubble retention resulted in greater diversity than conventional tillage, with no-tillage combined with stubble retention resulting in the highest fungal richness, diversity, and network complexity in both summer and winter. These findings indicate that no-tillage with stubble retention is beneficial for biological soil components, which favors the establishment of abundant and diverse soil fungal communities in the Loess Plateau of China. The present study expands the knowledge of fungal communities in agro-ecosystems and the long-term ecosystem benefits of tillage practices.

Response of bacterial and fungal communities in natural biofilms to bioavailable heavy metals in a mining-affected river

Biofilms, known as “microbial skin” in rivers, respond to rapid and sensitive environmental changes. However, the ecological response mechanisms of bacterial and fungal communities in river biofilms toward heavy metal pollution (HMP) remains poorly understood. This study focused on the key driving factors of bacterial and fungal community diversity and composition and their ecological response mechanisms within periphytic biofilms of Asia's largest Pb–Zn mining area. The diversity, dominant bacterial taxa, and bacteria structure in biofilms were influenced by biologically available heavy metal (HM) fractions, with Ni-F3 (17.96 %) and Pb-F4 (16.27 %) as the main factors affecting the bacterial community structure. Fungal community structure and α-diversity were more susceptible to physicochemical parameters (pH and nutrient elements). Partial least squares path modeling revealed that environmental factors influencing bacterial and fungal communities in biofilms were ranked as water quality > metal fractions > total metals. Dispersal limitation was the most critical ecological process in bacterial (56.9 %) and fungal (73.4 %) assembly. The proportion of heterogeneous selection by bacteria (39.5 %) was higher than that of fungus (26.2 %), which increased with increasing HMP. Bacterial communities had a higher migration rate (0.48) and ecological drift proportion (3.6 %), making them more prone to escape environmental stress. Fungal communities exhibited more keystone species, larger niche width (23.24 ± 13.04 vs. 9.72 ± 5.48), higher organization level, and a more stable co-occurrence network than bacterial communities, which enabled them to better adapt to high environmental pollution levels. These findings expanded the understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial communities within biofilms in HM-polluted watersheds and provided new insights into the ecological responses of microbial communities to HMP.

Transient hypoxia drives soil microbial community dynamics and biogeochemistry during human decomposition.

Human decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems is a dynamic process creating localized hot spots of soil microbial activity. Longer-term (beyond a few months) impacts on decomposer microbial communities are poorly characterized and do not typically connect microbial communities to biogeochemistry, limiting our understanding of decomposer communities and their functions. We performed separate year-long human decomposition trials, one starting in spring, another in winter, integrating bacterial and fungal community structure and abundances with soil physicochemistry and biogeochemistry to identify key drivers of microbial community change. In both trials, soil acidification, elevated microbial respiration, and reduced soil oxygen concentrations occurred. Changes in soil oxygen concentrations were the primary driver of microbial succession and nitrogen transformation patterns, while fungal community diversity and abundance was related to soil pH. Relative abundance of facultative anaerobic taxa (Firmicutes and Saccharomycetes) increased during the period of reduced soil oxygen. The magnitude and timing of the decomposition responses were amplified during the spring trial relative to the winter, even when corrected for thermal inputs (accumulated degree days). Further, soil chemical parameters, microbial community structure, and fungal gene abundances remained altered at the end of 1 year, suggesting longer-term impacts on soil ecosystems beyond the initial pulse of decomposition products.

Gut fungal diversity across different life stages of the onion fly Delia antiqua

A significant number of microorganisms inhabit the intestinal tract or the body surface of insects. While the majority of research on insect microbiome interaction has mainly focused on bacteria, of late multiple studies have been acknowledging the importance of fungi and have started reporting the fungal communities as well. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to compare the diversity of intestinal fungi in Delia antiqua (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) at different growth stages, and effect of differential fungi between adjacent life stages on the growth and development of D. antiqua was investigated. The results showed that there were significant differences in the α and β diversity of gut fungal communities between two adjacent growth stages. Among the dominant fungi, genera Penicillium and Meyerozyma and family Cordycipitaceae had higher abundances. Cordycipitaceae was mainly enriched in the pupal and adult (male and female) stages, Penicillium was mainly enriched in the pupal, 2nd instar and 3rd instar larval stages, and Meyerozyma was enriched in the pupal stage. Only three fungal species were found to differ between two adjacent growth stages. These three fungal species including Fusarium oxysporum, Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Penicillium roqueforti generally inhibited the growth and development of D. antiqua, with only P. roqueforti promoting the growth and development of female insects. This study will provide theoretical support for the search for new pathogenic microorganisms for other fly pests control and the development of new biological control strategies for fly pests.Graphical Three fungal species were found to differ between two adjacent growth stages. These three fungal species including Fusarium oxysporum, Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Penicillium roqueforti generally inhibited the growth and development of D. antiqua, with only P. roqueforti promoting the growth and development of female insects.

Effects of Continuous Cropping on the Physiochemical Properties, Pesticide Residues, and Microbial Community in the Root Zone Soil of Lycium barbarum

Continuous cropping is a common obstacle limiting the high quality and yield of Lycium barbarum （wolfberry）. To clarify the response of soil characteristics of the wolfberry root zone to continuous cropping years, we systematically determined the physicochemical properties and pesticide residues of soils in the wolfberry root zone with different continuous cropping years. In addition, soil bacterial and fungal communities were characterized using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results were as follows： The content of total salt and imidacloprid in the root zone of wolfberry increased with increasing years of continuous cropping. Compared to that with 2 and 9 years, the total salt content in the root zone of wolfberry with 15 years of continuous cropping increased by 51.97% and 54.33%, respectively, and the imidacloprid content increased by 39.58% and 36.61%, respectively. Alkaline nitrogen and available potassium showed an increasing and then decreasing trend. Compared to that with 2 and 15 years, alkaline nitrogen and available potassium in the root-soil of wolfberry with 9 years of continuous cropping increased by 16.94%-28.09% and 18.31%-18.34%, respectively. The diversity and abundance of bacterial communities and the abundance of fungal communities were higher in the root-soil of wolfberry with 9 years of continuous cropping compared to that with 15 years of continuous cropping. In addition, the increase in continuous cropping years also increased the accumulation of harmful plant pathogens such as Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Actinomucor, and Trichoderma in the root zone of L. barbarum. Soil total salinity, organic matter, alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen, and available potassium were the main factors influencing the distribution of bacterial communities. Soil alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen, available potassium, and ammonium nitrogen were the main factors influencing the distribution of fungal communities. In addition, the soil bacteria in the root zone of L. barbarum were dominated by metabolic functions； in particular, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism were most abundant in the root soil of wolfberry with 9 years of continuous cropping, whereas the highest abundance of functional genes related to membrane translocation was found in the root-soil of wolfberry with 15 years of continuous cropping. The soil fungi were all dominated by saprophytic trophic types, followed by pathogenic cross-nutrients in the root zone of L. barbarum. In conclusion, long-term continuous cropping induced changes in the soil microenvironment in the root zone of L. barbarum, increased soil residues of harmful pesticides and the enrichment of plant pathogens, and reduced the diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities. Therefore, it is necessary to control the rate of application of soil nutrients and pesticides in the management of L. barbarum and to carry out deep ploughing and deep tilling in good time, and the turnover of old plants in the cultivation of L. barbarum.

Soil pathogenic fungal groups and soil nutrient cycling under land use practices in Liupanshan Mountain in China

AbstractDifferent land‐use practices in temperate forests strongly affect soil quality and soil microbial communities, whereas the assembly and interactions of soil functional fungal communities provide positive feedback. Therefore, the effects of forest ecosystem degradation on the composition of functional soil fungal community and soil nutrient cycling are of particular importance. We studied forest ecosystems in the Liupanshan Mountains in the northwestern part of the Loess Plateau and analyzed the relationship of soil fungal community and soil nutrient cycling under different land use practices (natural forest [NF], plantation forest, and farmland [FL]). The results showed that soil pH and electrical conductivity were the highest in FL, whereas the soil carbon cycle index and nitrogen cycle index decreased. The soil total phosphorus content did not change significantly with an increase in available phosphorus content. The change from NF to FL significantly increased the number of operational taxonomic units, diversity, and richness of soil fungal communities. The composition of the soil fungal communities was also strongly influenced by carbon and nitrogen cycle indices. In addition, FL reclamation increased the complexity of the soil microorganism co‐occurrence network, and the interrelationships between soil functional fungal community were enhanced. Pathogenic fungal communities were enriched in FLs, and their relative abundance was significantly regulated by environmental factors such as pH and the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus. The soil pathogenic fungal community affected carbon and nitrogen cycle indices to varying degrees.

The influence of soil salinization, induced by the backwater effect of the Yellow River, on microbial community dynamics and ecosystem functioning in arid regions

Irrigation practices and groundwater levels are critical factors contributing to soil salinization in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the impact of soil salinization resulting from Yellow River water irrigation and recharge on microbial communities and their functions in the Huinong District has not been thoroughly documented. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze the diversity, composition, and structure of bacterial and fungal communities across a gradient of salinized soils. The results indicated that the alpha diversity of bacterial communities was significantly higher in slightly saline soils compared to highly saline soils. Soil salinization notably influenced the composition of both bacterial and fungal communities. Highly salinized soils were enriched with bacterial taxa such as Halomonas, Salinimicrobium, Pseudomonas, Solibacillus, and Kocuria, as well as fungal taxa including Emericellopsis, Alternaria, and Podospora. In these highly saline soils, bacterial taxa associated with iron respiration, sulfur respiration, and hydrocarbon degradation were more prevalent, whereas fungal taxa linked to functions such as soil animal pathogens, arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, endophytes, dung saprotrophy, leaf saprotrophy, soil saprotrophy, fungal parasitism, and plant pathogenicity were less abundant. Random forest analysis identified nine bacterial and eighteen fungal taxa as potential biomarkers for salinity discrimination in saline soils. Symbiotic network analysis further revealed that soil salinization pressure reduced the overall complexity and stability of bacterial and fungal communities. Additionally, bacterial community assembly showed a tendency shift from stochastic to deterministic processes in response to increasing salinity, while fungal community assembly remained dominated by deterministic processes. provide robust evidence that soil salinity is a major inhibitor of soil biogeochemical processes in the Huinong District and plays a critical role in shaping bacterial and fungal communities, their symbiotic networks, and their assembly processes.

Diversity and Composition of Fungicolous Fungi Residing in Macrofungi from the Qinling Mountains.

Sporocarps of macrofungi support other diverse fungal species that are termed fungicolous fungi. However, the external environmental factors that affect the diversity and composition of fungicolous fungal communities remains largely unknown. In this study, the diversities, composition, and trophic modes of fungicolous fungal communities residing in host macrofungi from diverse habitats in the Qinling Mountains were analyzed. Additionally, the number of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) encoded by saprophytic, pathogenic, and symbiotic fungi was also quantified and compared. The results revealed that the diversity and composition of fungicolous fungal communities varied with months of collection and the habitats of host fungi, and saprophytic fungi were more abundant on wood than on the ground. Meanwhile, it was also found that saprophytic fungi possessed higher abundances of cell-wall-degrading enzymes than pathogenic or symbiotic fungi. Based on the above findings, it was hypothesized that the greater abundance of saprophytic fungi on wood compared to the ground may be due to their possession of a more diverse array of enzymes capable of degrading wood cell walls, thereby allowing for more efficient nutrient acquisition from decaying wood.

Variation in Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Soils from Three Major Apple Pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) Orchards.

Microbial communities are closely related to the overall health and quality of soil, but studies on microbial ecology in apple pear orchard soils are limited. In the current study, 28 soil samples were collected from three apple pear orchards, and the composition and structure of fungal and bacterial communities were investigated by high-throughput sequencing. The molecular ecological network showed that the keystone taxa of bacterial communities were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Chloroflexi, and the keystone taxon of fungal communities was Ascomycota. Mantel tests showed that soil texture and pH were important factors shaping soil bacterial and fungal communities, and soil water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) were also closely related to soil bacterial communities. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and variation partition analysis (VPA) revealed that geographic distance, soil texture, pH, and other soil properties could explain 10.55%, 13.5%, and 19.03% of the overall variation in bacterial communities, and 11.61%, 13.03%, and 20.26% of the overall variation in fungal communities, respectively. The keystone taxa of bacterial and fungal communities in apple pear orchard soils and their strong correlation with soil properties could provide useful clues toward sustainable management of orchards.

Urbanization reduces the stability of soil microbial community by reshaping the diversity and network complexity

Rapid urbanization considerably alters soil environment, biodiversity, and stability of terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microbial community, a key component of global biodiversity, plays a pivotal role in ecosystem stability and is highly vulnerable to urbanization. However, effects of urbanization on the diversity, stability, and network structure of soil microbial community remain poorly understood. Herein, we investigated the diversity and stability of soil microbial communities, including bacteria, fungi, and protists, across three regions with different levels of urbanization—urban, suburb, and ecoregion—using high-throughput sequencing techniques. Our results revealed that urbanization led to a notable decrease in the alpha diversity of soil microbial community, causing a significant reduction in soil stability, as assessed by the average variation degree (AVD). The loss of stability was linked to the diminished alpha diversity of the soil fungal and protistan communities, along with weakened interactions among bacteria, fungi, and protists. Notably, the majority of keystone species identified through network analysis were classified as bacteria (Proteobacteria) and displayed a strong positive correlation with the environmental factors influencing AVD. This highlights that the variability of bacteria and the immutability of fungi and protists are important to sustain soil microbial stability. Furthermore, structural equation models indicated that protistan diversity primarily drove soil microbial stability across all regions studied. In the suburban and ecoregion areas, soil microbial stability was directly influenced by the soil properties, bacterial diversity, and keystone species, as well as indirectly affected by heavy metals. These results underscore how urbanization can reduce the stability of soil microbial community via declined diversity and network complexity, whereas the establishment of ecoregions maybe contribute to preserve the diversity and stability of soil microbial community.

Fungal Diversity and Gibberellin Hormones Associated with Long Whips of Smut-Infected Sugarcanes.

Sugarcane smut, caused by the fungus Sporisorium scitamineum (Sydow), significantly affects sugarcane crops worldwide. Infected plants develop whip-like structures known as sori. Significant variations in these whip lengths are commonly observed, but the physiological and molecular differences causing these morphological differences remain poorly documented. To address this, we employed conventional microbe isolation, metagenomic, and metabolomic techniques to investigate smut-infected sugarcane stems and whips of varying lengths. Metagenomics analysis revealed a diverse fungal community in the sugarcane whips, with Sporisorium and Fusarium genera notably present (>1%) in long whips. Isolation techniques confirmed these findings. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography analysis (UHPLC-MS/MS) showed high levels of gibberellin hormones (GA3, GA1, GA4, GA8, and GA7) in long whips, with GA4 and GA7 found exclusively in long whips and stems. Among the prominent genera present within long whips, Fusarium was solely positively correlated with these gibberellin (GA) hormones, with the exception of GA8, which was positively correlated with Sporisorium. KEGG enrichment analysis linked these hormones to pathways like diterpenoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction. These findings suggest that Fusarium may influence GA production leading to whip elongation. Our study reveals fungal dynamics and gibberellin responses in sugarcane smut whips. Future research will explore the related molecular gibberellin synthesis mechanisms.

Datasets of fungal diversity and pseudo-chromosomal genomes of mangrove rhizosphere soil in China

With climate change and anthropic influence on the coastal ecosystems, mangrove ecosystems are disappearing at an alarming rate. Accordingly, it becomes important to track, study, record and store the mangrove microbial community considering their ecological importance and potential for biotechnological applications. Here, we provide information on mangrove fungal community composition and diversity in mangrove ecosystems with different plant species and from various locations differing in relation to anthropic influences. We describe twelve newly assembled genomes, including four chromosomal-level genomes of fungal isolates from the mangrove ecosystems coupled with functional annotations. We envisage that these data will be of value for future studies including comparative genome analysis and large-scale temporal and/or spatial research to elucidate the potential mechanisms by which mangrove fungal communities assemble and evolve. We further anticipate that the genomes represent valuable resources for bioprospecting related to industrial or clinical uses.

Simulation of red mud/phosphogypsum-based artificial soil engineering applications in vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction

Red mud and phosphogypsum are two of the most typical bulk industrial solid wastes. How they can be efficiently recycled as resources on a large scale and at low costs has always been a global issue that urgently needs to be solved. By constructing a small-scale test site and preparing two types of artificial soils using red mud and phosphogypsum, this study simulated their engineering applications in vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction. According to the results of this study, the artificial soils contained a series of major elements (e.g. O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, and Mg) similar to those in common natural soil, and preliminarily possessed basic physicochemical properties (pH, moisture, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity), main nutrient conditions (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), and biochemical characteristics that could meet the demands of plant growth. A total of 18 different types of adaptable plants (e.g. wood, herbs, flowers, succulents, etc) grew in the test sites, indicating that the artificial soils could be used for vegetation greening and landscaping. The preliminary formation of microbial (fungal and bacterial) community diversity and the gradually enriched arthropod community diversity reflected the constantly improving quality of the artificial soils, suggesting that they could be used for the gradual construction of artificial soil micro-ecosystems. Overall, the artificial soils provided a feasible solution for the large-scale, low-cost, and highly efficient synergistic disposal of red mud and phosphogypsum, with enormous potential for future engineering applications. They are expected to be used for vegetation greening, landscaping, and ecological environment improvement in tailings, collapse, and soil-deficient areas, as well as along municipal roads.

Diversity and Ecological Functions of Fungal Communities in Tangchi Hot Spring in Lujiang (China)

Diversity and Ecological Functions of Fungal Communities in Tangchi Hot Spring in Lujiang (China)

Elevational Variation in and Environmental Determinants of Fungal Diversity in Forest Ecosystems of Korean Peninsula.

Exploring species diversity along elevational gradients is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms. Our study focused on analyzing the species diversity of fungal communities and their subcommunities at different trophic and taxonomic levels across three high mountains of the Korean Peninsula, each situated in a different climatic zone. Using high-throughput sequencing, we aimed to assess fungal diversity patterns and investigate the primary environmental factors influencing fungal diversity. Our results indicate that soil fungal diversity exhibits different elevational distribution patterns on different mountains, highlighting the combined effects of climate, soil properties, and geographic topology. Notably, the total and available phosphorus contents in the soil emerged as key determinants in explaining the differences in diversity attributed to soil properties. Despite the varied responses of fungal diversity to elevational gradients among different trophic guilds and taxonomic levels, their primary environmental determinants remained remarkably consistent. In particular, total and available phosphorus contents showed significant correlations with the diversity of the majority of the trophic guilds and taxonomic levels. Our study reveals the absence of a uniform diversity pattern along elevational gradients, underscoring the general sensitivity of fungi to soil conditions. By enriching our understanding of fungal diversity dynamics, this research enhances our comprehension of the formation and maintenance of elevational fungal diversity and the response of microbial communities in mountain ecosystems to climate change. This study provides valuable insights for future ecological studies of similar biotic communities.

Impacts of Solidago canadensis and Erigeron canadensis co‐invasion on soil microbial communities

AbstractInvasive plants disrupt the structure and function of ecosystems, causing a decline in their diversity. The coexistence of Solidago canadensis and Erigeron canadensis within shared habitats is a common phenomenon, and the frequent occurrence of co‐invasion has substantial implications for ecosystems. However, the effects of the co‐invasion of two plants on the soil ecosystem across varying degrees of invasion remain uninvestigated. Therefore, we investigated how the co‐invasion of S. canadensis and E. canadensis affects soil physiochemical properties and microorganisms across various degrees of invasion. The invaded regions exhibited significantly lower soil moisture content and pH values than those in the uninvaded areas (p < .05). Additionally, co‐invasion resulted in higher soil organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and available phosphorus (AP) contents compared to single invasion by E. canadensis. Furthermore, the invaded regions exhibited a greater diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities than the uninvaded regions. Under diverse invasion conditions, Actinobacteria and Ascomycota emerged as the predominant phyla of soil bacteria and fungi, respectively, leading to a shift in the soil microbial community structure. Moreover, homogenizing dispersal significantly influenced bacterial community succession, while ecological drift influenced the progression of fungal communities. Using structural equation modeling, this study established significant correlations between soil properties (pH, TN, and nitrate nitrogen) and bacterial interactions (diversity and community assembly) relative to microbial composition. This study revealed the influence of S. canadensis and E. canadensis co‐invasion on soil microbial communities, thereby contributing a theoretical framework delineating the impact of these two invasive plant species.

Litter application increases soil multinutrient cycling in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau

In soil, multiple nutrients are cycled simultaneously (multinutrient cycling), rather than a single measurable process. While the impact of litter decomposition on individual soil nutrient cycling in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau is well-documented, its effects on soil multinutrient cycling remain unclear. We deployed a three-year litter application experiment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau to examine the responses of soil microclimate, extracellular enzyme activities, and bacterial and fungal communities to litter applications, as well as the correlations between these vital factors with soil multinutrient cycling induced by litter application. We showed that litter application raised the soil multinutrient cycling index, temperature, and moisture content by an average of 190 %, 1.2 °C, and 12 %, respectively. Litter application increased the activities of soil extracellular enzyme β-1,4-glucosidase, β-1,4-xylosidase, β-D-cellobiosidase, L-leucine aminopeptidase, acid phosphatase, and phenol oxidase. Moreover, litter application increased the richness and diversity of both soil bacterial and fungal communities, and altered their community structure, but with larger effects on bacterial communities (R2 = 0.43 for bacterial community and R2 = 0.19 for fungal community). This indicates that bacterial communities are more responsive to litter application than fungal communities in alpine meadow soils on the Tibetan plateau. Partial least-square path modeling indicated that soil bacterial and fungal communities and extracellular enzyme activities were significantly positively correlated with soil multinutrient cycling after litter application. The relative abundances of bacterial phyla of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobiota, and fungal phyla of Basidiomycota were positively related to most of the critical soil nutrients, indicating that those microbial taxa are the main drivers of soil multinutrient cycling. Overall, this study provides explicit evidence that litter application accelerates Tibetan meadow soil multinutrient cycling, which contributes to an enhanced understanding of the role of litter in sustaining the functions and services of alpine meadow ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau.

Shifts in fungal community diversity and potential function under natural forest succession and planted forest restoration in the Kunyu Mountains, East China.

Soil fungi participate in various ecosystem processes and are important factors driving the restoration of degraded forests. However, little is known about the changes in fungal diversity and potential functions under the development of different vegetation types during natural (secondary forest succession) and anthropogenic (reforestation) forest restoration. In this study, we selected typical forest succession sequences (including Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc., pine-broadleaf mixed forest of P. densiflora and Quercus acutissima Carruth., and Q. acutissima), as well as natural secondary deciduous broadleaved mixed forests and planted forests of Robinia pseudoacacia on Kunyu Mountain for analysis. We used ITS rRNA gene sequencing to characterize fungal communities and used the FUNGuild database to predict fungal functional groups. The results showed that forest succession affected fungal β-diversity, but not the α-diversity. There was a significant increase in Basidiomycota and a decrease in Ascomycota in the later successional stage, accompanied by an increase in the functional groups of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM). Conversely, planted forests exhibited decreased fungal α-diversity and altered community compositions, characterized by fewer Basidiomycota and more Ascomycota and Mucoromycota. Planted forests led to a decrease in the relative abundances of ECM and an increase in animal pathogens. The TK content was the major factor explaining the distinction in fungal communities among the three successional stages, whereas pH, AP, and NH4 + were the major factors explaining community variations between natural and planted forests. Changes in vegetation types significantly affected the diversity and functional groups of soil fungal communities during forest succession and reforestation, providing key insights for forest ecosystem management in temperate forests.

Spartina alterniflora invasion reduces soil microbial diversity and weakens soil microbial inter-species relationships in coastal wetlands.

Soil microorganisms play a crucial role in the plant invasion process, acting as both drivers of and responders to plant invasion. However, the effects of plant invasion on the complexity and stability of co-occurrence networks of soil microbial communities remain unclear. Here, we investigated how the invasion of Spartina alterniflora affected the diversity, composition, and co-occurrence networks of soil bacterial and fungal communities in the Yellow River Delta, China. Compared to the native plant (Suaeda salsa), S. alterniflora invasion decreased the α-diversity of soil bacterial communities but did not affect that of fungal communities. The β-diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities under S. salsa and S. alterniflora habitats also differed dramatically. S. alterniflora invasion increased the relative abundance of the copiotrophic phylum Bacteroidota, whereas decreased the relative abundances of the oligotrophic phyla Acidobacteriota and Gemmatimonadota. Additionally, the relative abundance of Chytridiomycota, known for its role in degrading recalcitrant organic matter, increased substantially within the soil fungal community. Functional predictions revealed that S. alterniflora invasion increased the relative abundance of certain soil bacteria involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling, including aerobic chemoheterotrophy, nitrate reduction, and nitrate respiration. More importantly, S. alterniflora invasion reduced the complexity and stability of both soil bacterial and fungal community networks. The shifts in soil microbial community structure and diversity were mainly induced by soil available nutrients and soil salinity. Overall, our study highlights the profound impacts of S. alterniflora invasion on soil microbial communities, which could further indicate the modification of ecosystem functioning by invasive species.